Come all for the cure-all: Patent medicines, 19th century bonanza
The Harvard community has made this article openly available. Please share how this access benefits you. Your story matters
Citation Reeves, Dorothea D. 1967. Come all for the cure-all: Patent medicines, 19th century bonanza. Harvard Library Bulletin XV (3), July 1967: 253-272.
Citable link https://nrs.harvard.edu/URN-3:HUL.INSTREPOS:37363852
Terms of Use This article was downloaded from Harvard University’s DASH repository, and is made available under the terms and conditions applicable to Other Posted Material, as set forth at http:// nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:dash.current.terms-of- use#LAA Come All For The Cure-All: Patent Medicines, Nineteenth Century Bonanza
Dorotbea D. Reeves
ACKin the eighteen eighties, on n ,varn1 sumn1cr evening in a typical sn1all country villugc, the inhabitants sat on their
porches~ rocking. It had been a dull da)7 ; 1\1othcr ,vas tired and Father ,vas bored and the children restless. Suddenly, over
the clop, clop of horses' hoofs -and the rattle of ,vhcc1s 1 there ,vas a. distant fanfare on a coachn1an's hornt the boo1n, boom of a bass dru1n and a ,velcomc blast from a brass band. The n1cdicinc sholv had come to to\vn! Fun, frolics, and so-culled ''patcne' n1edicinc sales. And it
was a.sho,v, varied in form, media and locale1 as ev1dcnccdby numerous handbiHs, leaAets, and a proh1sion of business or trade cards~ a great variety of ,vhich are preserved in the 1\1anuscriptDivision of Baker Library'. Th c patc n t-111 edi cine bu sincss, \ vh ich madc 1nulti millionaires in the nineteenth century, is -also,vell documented in several fascinat- ing, fuH-lcngth books. This paper merely skin1s over the surface, to produce a chuckle here> nostalgia there, and perhaps to stin1ulate furtl1er pursuit of this jntriguing subject. There ha vc al\vays b cen n1cdicine quacks. l\1y·sterious cure-all con- coctions have roots in earliest history be cause man has al,vays prepared secret rcn1edics. The n1orc strange ~nd foul the ingredients, the 111orc bjtter the flavor, the more efficacious the nostrum ,vas thought to be - one had devil to drive out another. So\vhngs and millepedes soaked alive in ,vine ,vcre part of a mixture rccornmended by Cotton 1\-1ather ( 1 66 3-1 7 2 8) for a variety of aihn en ts. Cures, herb al and other,vise, ,vcre available early in print. There was~ for instance, Nicolas l\1on- ardes' treatise on 1i\' est India.n healing lore, Prhnera y segv11drt y tercern. Partes de la Historia 111edicinal,first published in Seville in 15 74. John Frampton uanslated it into English and it ,vas published in London in 1577 ,vith the sales-promoting title: loyfvll ne·vves o·vt of tbe 1u:1.ve
2 53
Harvard University - Houghton Library / Harvard University. Harvard Library bulletin. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Library. Volume XV, Number 3 (July 1967) 2 54 Harvard LibrnrJ Bulletin fou11dcworlde, wberein .is declared the rare nnd siuguler vertues of
diuerse a11dsuudrie bearhes1 trees1 o;yles~plantes., nnd stones, witb tbeir aplicatious,as well for phisicke as cbiru1"gerie.... It ,vas the nsual practice for the A.n1erican colonists to gro,v herbs and to treat ai]ments,vith remedies prep~1rcdon n sm9ll scale based on recipes brought from abroad, on ''curesJ~learned fro1n the Indians, or ,vith imported n1edicines such as Dr~ Batenlan~sl 1ectort1lDrops and the Elixir described in A Collection for ln1prove1neut of Husbnudry and Trade. This nc,vspapcr, one .of the first published pri1uarily· as a n1cdiu n1 for advertise 1nents~provided a. con vcni en t opp ortu ni ty for its
publisI1cr1 Jolin Houghton! of London! also an apothecary, to pub]icizc his Elixir 1liag11u1J1Sto11u1cbiuu1. This he described ~s "The Great Cordill EJixir for the Ston1ach; of n delicate flavo1u.., and pleasant bit- terisb Taste; 1>.7ot purging, but C.ordiaI011ly; to be drank at any tin1e
(but erpeoiallyin r1 A1or11i11g)in nuy Liquor, t1sAlc 1 Tea, lv1utn,Ca.-
nar)7, White-lvine, n dran,of Brandy·1 &c. It 111nkest/..,e best Purl in tbe
lf 1 orld in Ale1 and Purl-Royal in Sr1.ck1 nnd in 1"'en.,&c. ver,•plerun11t a11dwboleso1JJe, givh1g each of tbeuz a fragrant r111elland tnste, f nr ex- ceedi11gP11rl 111ad e of ,~, orm,vood, rr.vbicb(being so bot nnd drying) spoils tbe Sight, dulls tbe Brain.,aud drys up tbe Blood, tbis bn-ving the Quintessence of all t!Je ln6rredie11tsof the bitter Draught (so 1nucb in 1tse) in it, witb 1nn11Jrotber excellent Ston1nchicks and Antiscorbuticks brought into so S111ttlla quantity, as tbat 30 or 40 dropsin a Dose;you
1 1uay?11ake it in an instantyo11r self, i11any of the aforesaidLiq11ors 1 hut "\i\1hite-,vine or Tea best; and it 111ucbsurpasses tbe co1u111onbitter I' o-
tion in pleasantnessand vertue~ Tbis j,rocures a good Appctitc 1 helps
Digestionand all !11dispositionsof tbe Sto'IJ1ncb1 as Sickness, L,oathing, Nauseousness (especinllyafter a Surfeit., or bard Drinking) streugt!Je1i- h1g it VJouderfully.4 Expells all ·v\'jndJ purefies tbe Blood and destroys tbe Scurvy beyond any oue A1ediciue known, witb three or four Vir- tues 'Juore'Htentianed in the Hillssold witb it; as its e,.:cellency and use- f1d11essfor all Seaf ari11g111en, Soldiers, 1,ra·vellers,and iudeed for nil Persons 11(YJer to he witl.1outit about tbe111. To '7.vbicbBills l ref er you, to be had Gratisat tbe placeswhere 'tis sold. Price One Shilling each Bottle,.,, 1 Houghton's Eli:rir \Vas for sale at a variety of business cstab~ lishments: a bo_okstorc, a coffee house, a fruiterer, and a tobacconist. The ,vord ' 1patcnr>' applied to medicines derived frotn a grant of
1 A Collection for bnprove111cnr. of Hushlrru.lry and Trade,, edited Ly Juhn Hough- ton (London, 1692-1703 )i vol. 5, no. 118s 1694., p. 4.
Harvard University - Houghton Library / Harvard University. Harvard Library bulletin. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Library. Volume XV, Number 3 (July 1967) Co'lnt Ail for tbe Cure-all privi]ege by English royalty to tl1e n1akcr of a particular for1nuhL A fe\Y early medicines 111anufacmrcd in the United States \Vere actually patented ~s to forn1ula. l\1ost of thcn1 arc corrccdy tcr1ncd proprietary, although it \Vas not unusual for the namet tr-a.de-mark, or label to be registered in the Patent Office. Probably the first 11atent n1edicine in An1erica ,v-a~1~11rcnrorn Rice, concocted hy a 7v1rs.l\-1.m~ters in 171 I and reco1111nended-as 2 cure for consun1ption. It ,vas based on corn ( supposedly -~Yithadv ice f ron1 Indians) and ,vas protected by royal
patcnt 1 granted by l(ing G·corgc in 1 7 1 5.. Th e patent-n1c d1c1neI I 111• d ustry 11a d itsI "k 1ngsI '' an d 1ts H queen. " America 1s first king ,vas Th on1as ,,,. Dyott, an a put hecary "s appren- tice from England ,vho opened a drugstore in Philadelphi11jn the 1790's. By 1 8 1 5 he ,vas advertising a complete line of ren1edies. His
busi ncss, \v hich ce n tcre d in a 1n o d el I self-contained co nun unity, at DyottviHc on th c Dehnvarc, cxpandc d to inc1ude a large glass-,vorks, but a bank f aiturc in 183 6 brought it to an end. Just as Dyotf s business ,vas folding up, -anothermedicine king ,vas getting 11isst-art in Ne,v York,. ''Dr.'' Bcnja1nin Brandrcth, an English- man, ,vho \Vas attracted to the United States b)7 the 1narkct potential.
lie ,vas -a vigorous advocate of purgationt (but, of coursc 1 011/y ,vith his very special pills). At the start he sold his Vegetable Universal piHs (a combination of three hcrbat cathartics) a box at a time. By 1839, he ,vas thought to be \vorth $200,000; hy 1870, he o,vned several blocks of property in do,vnto,vn Nc\v York and had spent nvo and a 11al f n1illion dollars on ad vcr tisi n g. ,,.7I1en h c died in 18 8 o, 11isfactory, no\v at Sing Sing (later Ossining) \Vas marketing about nvo n1illion boxes of pjlls a year. A.nothcr high])·successful l'Ye,vYork patent-111cdicinemanufacturer" Henry T. Heltnbold, built a splendid and elaborate "Tctnplc of Pharmacy'' on Broad\va.yin 1871 ,vhcrc his Ext-ract of Bucb11,vas sold in a glamorous attnospherc of perfumed fountainst trilling canaries, and great floor ~to-ccil ing 1nirrors. A1nong prominent Ne,v Y orkcrs ,v ho bought at the ~(Temple'' ,vere Jay Gould, Conunod.ure \ 1andcrbi!t, and John Jacob Astor. A Ne\"VEngland patent-medicine kingJ Dr. Ja1nes C. Ayer, ,vas a
i-arity been.use he \Vas not a doctor by assnn1ption1 but ucn1allya grad~ uate of the University of Pennsylvania?\1edical School After receiv- ing his degree in 1841, he bought a drugstore and launched his business on the basis of a homemade remedy called C berry Pectoral. Aycr'.s
Harvard University - Houghton Library / Harvard University. Harvard Library bulletin. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Library. Volume XV, Number 3 (July 1967) Harvard Library Bulletin biggest success ,vas his Extract of Sarsaparilla(-e 'Pill After Pie'') , , vhich
combined the popular hcrb 1 sarsaparilla (smilax Ioot) 1 ,vcll kno\,.,n as a
blood purifier, ,vich other ingredients. (.Platesl 1 \ 1, VIII 1 and XIII.) h1ore than ten other re1nediesrounded out his very successful line~ \\t hi ch , vas popular as far a,va y as A ustra lia. I-Ie d evel oped n1a chin er y I or his factory, ran his .o\vn paper ~1nill, branched out in to o thcr lines of busin css-.,and d icd a 1nu Itimil lionairc. Th c section of J\1assachusctts called Groton J11nction ,vas na1ncd Ayer in his honor \Yhcn it ,vas incorporated in 1871. Patent-medicine's queen, Lydia Estes Pinkhan1~ ,vas born in Ly·nn in 1819. As a young ,voman, she \vorked for Temperance, Abolition~ -and1\'on1an's Rights. She ,vas marrjed in 1843 to Isaac Pinkham and they had three sons and a dau ghtcr _ 1~1hcn anyone in her f a1nily ,vas sick, she cooked up ren1edics con1pounded ,v-ith the help of the A1ner- tcan Eclectic Dispens(ltory,apparently first published in 1854. Its author, Dr ..John King ( 1813-1893), had studied ,vith the Indians and based his prescriptions on their herbal prcp:trationsL Lydi'2.Jshusband ,vas not very successful as a brcad\vinner) but llc -acquired a '~cure for the ,veaknesscs of femalcsH fro1n a L)7 11ll n1cchanic ,vho o\ved him t,vent}r-fivc dol]ars. Ly·dinadapted it, 111adcit by the gaIIont and gave it a,vay to ailing ",.omen. 1"hc nation-,vide panic of 187 3 lcf t the fa1nify pcnnDcss~ One day, some elegant ladies from Salcn1drove up to the PinkhamJshouse in their carri1ge and -askedif they c.ould buy six bottles of l1er ren1edy. This encouraged the Pinkha1ns to put Lydia E .. Pi11khnuls Vegetable Co111po1tndon the n1arkct. In the ,vord vege- table, they chose an epithet that ,vas favored for herbal re1ncdies, per- haps because of its association ,vith V cgetadanism, a popular n1ovcnlent of that day. ,\ 1hile their mother bre,,red her Co111pou11din a cellar \vorkroom~ her sons ,vorked hard to promote jt locally. Daniel, ,vho
\Yas a determined go-gettcr 1 decided to ,vork the N c,v York City area. For ,veeks., he tramped the streets distributing handbills by the thou- w nds -andleaving san1plebottles at druggists. It ,va.she ,vh.o conceived the idea. of using his rnotherJs face as an advertisen1e11t. The sixty dollars it cost him to run it on the front page of the Boston Hernld ,vas a fortunate investment because sales, ,vhich had been slu\v, picked up at once and uthc face,, became estab]ished as an advertising device. \\Torncn ,vere urged to '\vritc to l\1rs. Pinkl1an1,Ly·nn, l\1::i.ss.for advice/' and they dida L)7 din sent :!BS\VCfS that Legan "Dear Friendu and ended nYours for health~~' Her recomn1cndations,vere shre,vd
Harvard University - Houghton Library / Harvard University. Harvard Library bulletin. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Library. Volume XV, Number 3 (July 1967) C ROSDYJS Ji'n·i=:1\f 1 N llTE + Br.LT/;S O.r,.;: :r, 1\'IIr,,; lTTE + B~N!10~ 1S CH Air Oli II rf. }..KO C:i:;LU{y + UPHAM\; FRF.S H 1\:IEA'f rl • 1-Ionsr.'sAsPARAGH},.S I{lDNf.Y + rrHOMPSON 1S TnEE OF L1FF- + RolTCiH ox PAIL'IT + Bno,rN.t!::Rt:::NO\'ATJ:,{G + F'ULLi:.n'::,; You·rn AKD V1Goft+ DE GnA'l'll '~ EL~crr1uc + GnrFFINs LH.n1rrNJNG CHOLERA + PAnMAl.:r.rs l'\'fAKDRAE.E A~ ri DA}rHELIOX + AYER's AuuE -f· ::\Ins. EELCHF.Rjs Fi:;11AL1: + SJ-£OSBONEE:~ + OnE~~ i\'IouNTh u,- A~THJi.IA + LAlJ DAOH 's \ VORM s ·+CI I EROI( F.R + H OL 1,.rns'0 LD 1"1AN OP 'J l-1P. I\ f Oll N 'l'Al x ·+BHAN DP.ETH 's Lin:::Am+ TALCOTTjs ~V1.G1c + rocm Jvl~xjs Fn1EKD + ,YELL'sIlRAir,; ANn SEx.uAL+ S·wA YK E 1~ SARSAPARILLA. AND TAi{ + lloYT's 1\-1AGNETJC PAI~ -I· HowE]s ArcAnIAN l\-11LK
~-\\~,
,t ___ --: ·~ m1 Tl11, ==-·-::; :• : ·i~~.-f i;:ii.1:\0 ..... __.r----...... ---·: _._... . ~_... _...... ·--::-·..:..: :_::::: :i:-~ ~=-·-<~:~-:~:- ~·-.:t;..:.i;-r;.-~_l _;~:..:.i~\ ...t·~ j ~ 11'1-r~n--;nt~ ~o1.rn:rchj A rn11, to 1ry, J\Lo\Y to kll if 10n liYc -ot dl<'/ 1 So r•11L::i.llf/·i•hl ad~i~t'. : Bt1~ if ~-flol! take AYER 'S S~f.'ili:lJx1rllla (lHrlni:r th~ mcmth~ of :i.Luc-h iLrnl A priL O~e r~·suH 11L,Ma~- wlli" he-: ~11 you coul1.l rtL·.s[rc-. 'Io m·c-n.::onrnUi~: iLilnwiit~ rc~,1llar tet ~pri1i~, i;~1rr:rr:i.nd lnvi~0rntc ·th\ ~lood lJy t11c wrn of AYER 'S S~Jr5ap~,rilt:~~ :_An 'Th1'Ill;'],~(: ui;;L'. of 1'111 a~ n1 f! lr srrl~g JlH'!•tlCIHC need ]La'rC _ILO Ie:\r of rl'hul. Tin:cl 1-"E'Cl- f ~·~, I mn !-;'f!.fi non. H ,r•a~l PlChoE:'1,rn.1 n !!i in the TI ac"k .un..;l 1, hl\ h:!liJ 1-·e ....·-e r 1~1 u w ~:-::...a rn [ !JIht: i ti::3J~~~L ·i ·i\ti hi syi 11p: H 0rn~ so :r,1·.r,..~ liP. ~·1 t at th Is Jll~r[o(l ,of the y~a r, Fo ::-the vrnmg' ll I 1ii I I 1.. r c:• .. ) 1 t)~C'i mi1li! ~(' - for an- A y ER' s S:1.f;j~•P•\l'llli:L Is l110 SIJl"l·: L{l01~ )U·:HH'. [~ •·~ l:or Sl',r~n~-(~. . T!~ pirt ic-1,lM'th!Lt }"rlUr (!ru~p:[~t garcs you A y ER'S H,:tr~ai~:u·m:,. 1.T ruJtl-~S 01·u ERS J\ 1't D 1.\'l 1;I+ UUJtH ·you. PLATE I NA7\lES OF A FE"r FAi'i IOU5 CURE-ALL~, ,YJTH AK AD\'J:Jfl'lSJ::i"iJ FNT (ll-' I 891
Harvard University - Houghton Library / Harvard University. Harvard Library bulletin. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Library. Volume XV, Number 3 (July 1967) . ·- 1•,r. ,...- :I ., . -· • .-. I ~-..
.v
r . ; ..·. ,-,. ·. .. ..:~~~.-- J.,,.-~ . , ....--...... I. - 00 ...... 00 - ~-, 00.... .,..., ] \Cl . ·, ...... 00 t .._......
' • r" • • - • // t:i) ..,:; ..Q u '1--.;, 4--. < ...... 8 ,;...-, E-t 1--1 ,.1-:-1 E w .. f--' i-,J h i-) ...t;:: 1.--:! .....
::'.:,,I- ti"""
.,' C ·}: i:...::
r ,. • ._ ' ·;:i ...... , 1-- .._.. . ' . 1.: -I p.., ., I I l I .' ·, I r 1 "I I .-:: ·.. · ., t' '.: ...... 8 .! lo 1; I , i I. I • : : _,.' •• i 'L :· . !/·· . >• .: :· ...... ,, ,_ .:-- 1 ) . ,' l .. ! ' .~
---
Harvard University - Houghton Library / Harvard University. Harvard Library bulletin. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Library. Volume XV, Number 3 (July 1967) -r-~-·r-··- GARGLlNG.
' I' : .. \
' . ,J
.. .,
' :
l1 Pr,;,T Th.R-01'-i(""{!E-TJ.1~ - 11:E~c:..!!ANT'i O.&BOLl"NG011 LI" ,._l,s,,,l11-.-i..lLl11(y1r111 r;,r-~ -u,-,11,.e,1 t..:.o! 111;E:11 frc f.,.:t~II, ~~:.i,,, .li:b~i.: o.,~rnmJ ,,..... ~1(-....·Lollr.•!"-, ~,iril "~- Bru , ...... , T.!'l!c,i- Bll~l.: , 11'"1.tlll!'"!b~!~I ...r 1-'llt~l 'Tv~Lbc,cl,... ::.;ar,:,'I t.r~•t, (:t,IJUtl::.1, .ct..!1'P,:-l HUld 1, ,I.C,,1. Tll.ll'l.,I' .c,Ll:!cl'd.lM!~ l.od~t:it "t-:1m11r. nr-,~ l,·r.-t,- !i.'\·ll-,11:- !,:,c ~:.l=.:1.1,rnd wELlto!:t,:,. :b1J.JM, .. l:k~"ti. !i::"iluf~<:t11~,1.r.t1.11d:p~.-1-., i'.'o:. 1,-, :L.::,,J... l,~ I . t,:, :!i[_. ,n_ (). C'-:i., :..= .i,,l:"".:.J;.i:;L!U. JOHN: HODG F., 5~•:,...... - ~. - . :Ji: ·: : • • •• I • - r _. • • Ill (b) 'bONTBEN°rR'volis 1:;- ·:~ r 111(-:1)
T ti e He ro of ri Ho me R u n . OrnLad;,es Favori tc,
ia'" ,:', .. ...: ,. -~·..:' .., . , - . - . :- . . . . . RE:ME.DY • I ------1 JJI(d}
IJJ(c)
Harvard University - Houghton Library / Harvard University. Harvard Library bulletin. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Library. Volume XV, Number 3 (July 1967) I ,11~)\~·s IRON . ' :BI1fWERHr_· i~,r,_, 1 ii c,~IAIN CiJR'EFOi HEN RY'S 'rHONSO l{ I~tOG[NEoF CARBOLlC It.. N iol'l- SALVE. -="- i \.-a, -->~-- .....,... ' ' - 1 . . .[ . ., • • r .. ,I • ...... ~-",,, .. L: __ J• • ·~• •. , _, . At..l"'M0N6,Q JHl5 R;:Nfl)t' 1"1'1CI!: - AN:: .AC/I-"~- ...... - -.. • l'[.11":5 T Qll"[~TI ~ti - t-1r. R C:0 (. !",; 5;-::J Ir.' 11.t.l h . Hl ti Frni CARe-D u,;: SA\. ....E .. ,.s :;wCFT ,HI!!, ,...... = CL l::.1,r, [) r C"V i;:::f-1'"( IJ N !511:.;111T'r .SP.Of lJI ,l,.r ...., S !I!: c t-1 ;,. !-. CClM~DL ._.O J'"[]I~ I" t U I !."'r. IT°!: &; Harvard University - Houghton Library / Harvard University. Harvard Library bulletin. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Library. Volume XV, Number 3 (July 1967) ,.,' ;# ftlCtcAFQ,~ , ...... ·'.=~· ftf(Jf~ N -::·-.....,. ~5 • ~. :•:..,( I ,• I Fj'[f'1EOI \1(b) V' (cl) \1"(c) PLATE \T Harvard University - Houghton Library / Harvard University. Harvard Library bulletin. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Library. Volume XV, Number 3 (July 1967) ______..,.,. -·· - •~;~j, ,1·1 I• \ "1 •L· l;t:I 11- t. IT~ f1:l--.,n1!i,·-.:11 .. : I ~- 111 h,J1lh,- : 1- 1l,i11: r_ ... 1.. -1 ri,.111 -.r , .. 1i1.-., .... r - "I 1 - ., • 11 1 ,. , I •,•· : ... L.ii:••··""" 111:.·, I,· l&-1.t. -.:-.-::-)1l,i1 -~ -. ... 1111• 11,: -. 11111- -... • 11 l I .. t lu11 L"t :.I- :,r.l t • .-.::.-1 • • "111 Ir C ·--.. .::11.i~ .J.«I ... :11Ji. • I ,. •• -.. :.Ir " 1i11:-.1 d f 1 Lr.Ill h: LI• .-1t., .- - i:: ,.r1111- --~c1,,-: 1 11 -r:111 1,.- Ir :- j:,:. -. :.i 111"1...... I J ~: J:11: 111...... •I -:.-.-.-:-: L- LI :I 1-,111.-,.1 .:_ ll••:-IH 1 1 ~~·•1cL1. i1,,-..1-1 l t- "• :,:, ,-.ir-. 1 t--1.1t- •.n.:- .-1:,-.:. "'ii 1,-._.1.r-.- Cl 1'• 1 .J:111 .. r I II •: :r 1'-": I ~.,n"-; I ,.r, -.-cr1,· ; ,,,, ., ••• 1, ,In I : Lr ~-...u (.-:"! l . . ·:l, I•~ ,. l,,.,lc 1 ! ·1•I I 1,,1. ,., .... ._ I _..-.,.Ft--., t-~• r n1 I _ 11 r.·l .a.b:..·1-.a,:- .I. . I ,r .a.1:-,, ••, 1ru! c· ll .._1.1. -. 1 -1.,.-t,. ... I~~ i• .: •IK'••• r-r-.-rr1, r.J. 1 1• .L -JL~f ... r. -1. 1--_i1-,.r...:. flrir..-. .$n ~-:-.. l"i 1-'C r 1 I . ;J:.i:.rJ.r..1 r.. tLr \ 1(b) -: I I •-. . Sol .i. l"RU FF. [El o,r, , . · l~l' ·"J; .[ F.~,u~=E:J.i'I,. -r,i;, .,,.,,. L,L"m, - 0 k "l.•.1:JIVl"V. t.' ' 3l]l[; e,:C1t.1:i::1:;;5 :::c .. . . · .J::y_:r.---, 3 ...... _ ... ;e r.+--1.r-§:r=l--:,:-:..-:= - -1 .:f-ir: ;-"":o·r1:.:ZBR SIDE:, -;-~:.\- ~,-. ~~:: \.lf\j,~--~ )--- ~,t.!J - .. . ..· :. ...::-., . ..·- "I-. ...,;,,;- t· Jl1 I ,"-:: !;.,,.1,:a,!,;11•.....,,_ ~,1"·· ...... ----::... ' 11t•fnt"c ·n.1 tLi;. . --; A ttie-r-l 11!'ht~. n.t l l T f".I,."_!<; 'I fHlTU .Ji.Cu t: )11~0 l"S ~urc hd.~u llh HI('f n1.:'1,"I?)"·-ra i I wl 1-:"1':'!tb•~~- I!:! =i. \) ,:,,-,1 II y L!L I I IL' 1•;i1JL. :i. r t11,,y r..·l 11_!,-[l.!'L!"Lh:1,:i.r:nh!~-~ -~ tJ:,E-)' 1.·~n~:-i I ILMltll1Jli:: E1ui i~ _n.i1 t'. .or :-. c.cmo-1 • u, Tlirr :1J!-o r-Lin..· ~., r,..•1Ll ru;.11, J:.:ancl1 ~, C;:-mb'r .:-i:~11~Di phl:h c-rl;1_ l.'""1.-t :nJ'.11ln :.t:i-c•., Do11 lC!~. F~::-~:;it..:·~•Y ;'.'Ill Dru~:;1·H s cm1~ l\:-ll kr:s In ~,,dL-dti.' . -----.·---. ' . ~- ; .'Prepa~ed p~q. :;E. ___ ~A~TER 1 Lowell, Mass. ~ -T"!" ''"' ~tr'r'•~ f.-r 4::'f{''Jr-i' ~l} r-t11~for ,rdl T,lr,,.-.rl .h!~r--4Ul!'I ." (OYF.B ,) : VT(c) II~ 1:1'1''1Cl'T1C "Ill Ill C:,..,...-~:;.,.;,-.:, Jl,1'KllhJ.11 Pl'I 111.. N. MS ,V,,> JDWe1 A~ [L::)l!I- lll C :a-nan~ lllllllo~. A., fl ,..,,.....-Tio an- Tn~'!! .w.:.i-c TN~ 11-lU-s ~.. l!t~~n~ "1-:llt EICJtl3~ 1b H•il,,ITH ikW[I 11".AHr'IIIEW.. , 1 I J I Jri"_ B, nt~ U.IIIVER'S.A~T£5T __ '_Pt!'_O_tr.f_.__ l. .. PLATE \TI Harvard University - Houghton Library / Harvard University. Harvard Library bulletin. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Library. Volume XV, Number 3 (July 1967) ·-r·- ) . I_(.-!,,- "---....·, . - .-· ,,:':' . ~. :.. J . . ' I ( , . .) ., .. '. [J : . . ...: _..:.L' .\ .. !:..:;_'-j:. i .. 'l ... \.~~i. I I I 1, •• I \ 1-t!" Tiil l.'11' IT • ,.t,t,::, tfOW ~&,,lo: TH!: C"H,.., L ' 16'1 ll-l I-ICI, L Tl-I J"!!I[ !ltOA £~ ii, t-f:;I 1'101"1TL "Y 'I" I,[ N j l,fC IFl'II rT!li I-ti II- ,-p1 I NC !I,, W1't0 , HI "I II H ~T l',._'"-113:t. • ,~ ...'r HE Sl'IO !.II- C, TC T tJ l't" r .'-'AT.. 11!1!: "9-t:[:nj. tU, LL °S B.-.1."SA"""5.ILVl.1.1 M-. LI r !: •.., I' ~._,._~ VII {1} •at,iD 111,1,Ci'C t,,lt: !l"T"O~I, IVIIII H_.LC ON~C l"ICl'IE ~"will t:UR!. "l'CIUII! i;; :-1,Jijl"I.Sp".:: LCING -,-,;ill l'I c-,,,'l'!I H ... lo.. IJII' .._.Cl U"I LUtilCS ,lt,11;11 H ~AL -;"I-! H It 6-TCI Rf. -··- ---· •...... I . .I' . ,,..,,,, . .. ~:--:iiil!r.!11111!~f;i;a"""' I.._. ..--~ . -~ =-:": .. ·"-:-~.:=--~..· I ."\ . "r °S-1\.":~. : -·· ·, K{lti'.h...... •• - II' • .. "' • .!--~,. . ,; lj"....t\ ~- ~.- .., ~i.~m~~~~~~~~.~tUt>I>Y:· Vll(c) VI1(d) PLATE \TII Harvard University - Houghton Library / Harvard University. Harvard Library bulletin. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Library. Volume XV, Number 3 (July 1967) "J':!"_r:-r,~- ~~- . - - - . -=" •· ·r. ._ _. r. • . ·:·,:...... '·- .... • r ..-- ..~. • • • • -I ..., :_- ..._ _. i ·,. -,_ .\\r· VIH{u) · f.c_tb;1.l-_~- f; ftc..n•i · , 1 (c) JII (11~'Mr ~IU-,u,. ( • .J,I. • •. I:I 11"., • VIJI(c) VIII (d) PLA'i"F. , 11n Harvard University - Houghton Library / Harvard University. Harvard Library bulletin. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Library. Volume XV, Number 3 (July 1967) - . . ;_ . t . ..' .. .-··•. ...I~--•' ·.. I II.• .:I,• • lNAllGURATlON or GOV. GEORGE D. ROBINSON, (;m:/106/11.«m .~n~pw.1 l).11/ru,J,il, ,-ti (In·-l1hJfit111ir1o//Jt(' OWi/htif/1' l 11a. 1· rill 6rftkru - dowo ,,n. d . ,, h,·,rl('JI m N /",i; h.rd aSrdph; u· 1) iu i'".rs.. _fl{-1 r~ nu e.1u;rn1l1stn.•n91l1 ·h- be {ll Jµ}il. -' Ft' (i111 11u( !~·,-.~-,f_t/!'i-.' >P" ....-.... ) i·.,.... fhwr_,JI",. fl' I bad ,1,il11 t fl !.d'fl • ...4;ftl/Jh 1;r II t'il('r, ... " rt,t'.,-!)NI F ,.f .,· I Jf,-1 ln:a, "I skflNhl !Jfti'l ilrdlo·, lJMt a.~· bll,I u., I ,hd lth:Juip. PLATE IX Harvard University - Houghton Library / Harvard University. Harvard Library bulletin. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Library. Volume XV, Number 3 (July 1967) X(a) --·---·.'T"9. c -. ..,___ . ·- r.:. ,.....___... "'I..,. - --·- -- . ....C.r--- .3 X(b) . t --'I .. _.:.. • .,;. • - ·--~ ' . I • - I . -r-~i-- ·.1---·~'.11111'.' IJJ 'I ....::r . t A ..... ~i".ITJ ...... X(d) PLATF: X Harvard University - Houghton Library / Harvard University. Harvard Library bulletin. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Library. Volume XV, Number 3 (July 1967) .; I • • ...~ -,.:~-. ·.}- . . : •...... ,... ,' ' ~i:~---.... · ,. I I, :._ .. • =· . I:' . · · TAKE I • .- ==: TlIORN,s·· · -~:~en~inei_,. Sarsa.l)arllla~- -,~_.. -l? rk.-:- i !i [..c =i."t:..Jl ~, Bo Ltllfl: -~ . . ·:·>.... ! i . P~ t:i"',I, A ~ti, II-~ ·. : ·: ; I. B.-·TUORN, · · .. ··. ~----.- • I • I • • • • • :....-- : •• • ~• •• : : I• .' 1. IJl'{(Uf(!",)<)f'(; . . • . • , J'f. •._-"':r -:•.•• . . ·- , .---.,.. .-- • ... . : -~ ...... -: .. . . : •.•i -. - .·-:... >·.-.-,·_j;;:·;. :), :~; : :;;.:,, ' 1l; _l \~.::-- ·'_?·":,..-~:.~. • • :- - • • i._:..j II - ... "-< . :. . :: __~·•·~,.•_Ii :.-;·· •·";. . -...... :-:: • • • • -: •; ~- -:..~ • ," --~ • • r •. : : • ':: . I ...... ·- I I .. I_:' : :- -i;};ct~.7.· .... -.. . ' . f-~~.: . . --·-·--.;II~ a..-.~r-•. -- • I. 77" --~...-~·"r-r.rr ...... " XL{ PLATE XI Harvard University - Houghton Library / Harvard University. Harvard Library bulletin. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Library. Volume XV, Number 3 (July 1967) ·-..:,. .·· f's .... •••-e: ;.~ • . .:· :, . ' c') M.li'Cl[:'I_ 't/!:°<'11T.HE HCILL:"111'.E'V!:: A 'Ii;, '!:.IJkKt F'Ail.lti C~['~II.; Fil-:OP,, .1V?:~lr-u2,NC: Ii ::"DJ-.:..t•r.:;F'.a.l ~- A l=IE.M'.a:':OyD ~ST .::.r:-Ep,;-;- i THE .,,.IJ 'r'C U 1'1ri::;i 1, :!.C.V[ ,ti,. E WIS !a. f___ _2~E.Y .t,:=:--=-T~-E. .['11::.~"T OF IA(lQD J.t1',,'1l;;::_ · . r _• •n~ ...1~•: •~ ...,. . . . _ . · -:-. 1:-:;'j"~~•·.•·~~,'i',r Xll(a) -, . 0 p,i" 101:1'1 WI Tl1 '.'"M~ U L'G~IIN~ EY.E, '\ .i W;JN D 'l'CIVS: t.:H.., NG-E :S l!t:, ·Ii I w~.u c:11~Fol..., t1 ,.'3,ao1J!l.1r,.o ... u r.-1'1",p.ii 1~, jl:,q,:i U C1fT .11',1.l"i''IM'E S S "'T,;_,Tl'IE-!:? J l<'f '5 IY.5, S n HI:.: WIJ Ii! 1:1.S,1, nl"WE fflE WI~ r:1 ', . Tr-1<:'t',.11 R.: I T.-tf. B E'!iT fl F Ci~DD AOVlo!':'I:, · THf FA!lHFUl · fRI.E.ND Ta SUFf"ERINGWOM£tf. "'I• I XU(b) XII(c) -----·-. n: 01 11 1r,. ••l:J .. _... • J F J "u DA.fl.Wuf:s (::RA.:ND PAPA, ll l""QLLOWS OCNT YOO !i EE. THFt.T W:t:1.M 1:5--GOoc;, fOP. MAt\ ,r,.1.c ElJ.:A5r, IS DO IJBlY CO DD-f OR f.l.'E, J XU{d) XI I (e) PLATE XII Harvard University - Houghton Library / Harvard University. Harvard Library bulletin. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Library. Volume XV, Number 3 (July 1967) HOOD1 s VEGETABLE Pl LLS - - Ac~th 9~!;,t Li..-~r In·,i-1::ota.tor. , :P~ke-, Tv.-~nty.fo·~ c~,-,t~ AYERr~ .GAR:~A.?-Ar-U rT .r..A i ·11... l ~[ ~C'O!,;". .. I l•-LI~,i..~ I iJ.I lh•· ', ·1' . . . F"i"'" 60:<.~1, o., D~I I l!. l ..____I~-~------~• ~i..:h:nl ;:, ,Ll~L:I,: «.I';.~~ 1111· (,:~ l1kr _.n1·1"·1 ~ 1:1~1 • · Ji,'( E !~li:~il.P,'.11I( (,II. 1:0 ~0.1,1FC'~ Kl t~:,,t~ !!'rll,!,T!Co !l!;l ~..ll1- c. 1-HOO o & :::o.Ar'OTH ECJ. r:m:.:s.I LOYii c:u. I MA3 s. Tl1[ STliC II~ ~ST. !-E-S,: (>IE P!:ST !ELCC) lo'!.CIC-~ [. {,un:JL.) XJH(h) Xlll(a) READTHIS CARD CAREFULLY. ----..- ..--- Don•t Forget to can and See, M1S5 !-\ANDIE ·CHASE, 'Ih-! G rc-:..t EL11d Wond-c:rfo l Lady, v.-ho w:a.:=.stolen · ~11 t o·rh-!:'t h cuJ~F bj' l r1.1ii.nIi~, :8-;iF-tTini?:lo bi:! ~calpe-tl en XIII (d) XIII(c) PLA'IF. XIII Harvard University - Houghton Library / Harvard University. Harvard Library bulletin. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Library. Volume XV, Number 3 (July 1967) . . .. . ·.•• • -:.,:. •• .• • ·_. I, --.: . . . I: •..; •, I j •, -~i·- _.",! • I•• ' r XJV'(a) XIV(b) - -i:- X[V(d} . ~'-·.r:~·? ; ~, I nkP it eJ-Pi:\~· "i11n1~1lllij~'. J I Ji I.'°'flw XIV(c) PLATE Xl\ 1 Harvard University - Houghton Library / Harvard University. Harvard Library bulletin. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Library. Volume XV, Number 3 (July 1967) .p ):_~--- . -·-~ \~- \ ----.... . ·.ll.._} y I .._ ".1- •• " •- .,: :,•_ -:, _;•, ,-• •-,-\r"'I"• • 1 1-1 I""_;"} •- - r ' ' I j , ' I _; ' \: ·_:·~;;::=-' I . : ·1 . _J, ' .r ' . ( - . '·, 0 0IL OF GLADNESS~' tUR~S ALL PA US DD AtHES. X\ 1 (0) XV(d) PLATE X\r Harvard University - Houghton Library / Harvard University. Harvard Library bulletin. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Library. Volume XV, Number 3 (July 1967) Harvard University - Houghton Library / Harvard University. Harvard Library bulletin. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Library. Volume XV, Number 3 (July 1967) Co1ne All for the Cure~nll 2 57 ::ind sensible. She supplcn1entcd then1 ,vith a four-page Guide for l-1101ne11, -a.frank discussion off en1ale physiologyand disorders. ,\ 7hen she could no longer handle all the mail herself, she trained her daughter and a d2ughtcr-jn-la,v, and later~ corps of lady secretaries to take care of it~ under her close supervision. It is interc.~ting to note that the for n1u l 2 of th c Co;np 01n id (, vh icl1 in cl u d ed tl 1e. roots of unicorn-plant~ pleurisy root"t black cohosh, and fenugrcck seed) ,vas never secret,. and visitors ,vcrc al,vays ,velcon1cd at the Pinkha1n Laboratory. Although the ne,vs of her death in 1 883 ,vas carried in the local papers and the New Y or l-!Tin1e s r n d :t tr::tnsf er to i\11rs. Charles Pinkha 111 ad ver rised, either because ,vord did not get around or hecan~e T..,y f ro111the kitchen pot and the pharmacy to the f actot') 7 • Self-medi ca- tion , vas the rule of the times; a doctor ,vas called in only· as a last resort. P eop I e 1ac k ed c::onfi dence in ph ysicjans, and, alas, rigl 1 ti y. Centuries old though it ,vas, medical science still had a long ,va y to go and the doctors of those day.s\Vere, pcrforcet poorly trained. 1\1edical- school standards could only be lo-\v. '"'As late as 1 870 the dean of the I-larva.rdi\-1edical School explained the absence of ,vritten cxa1ninations .on the grounds that too fe,v of the candidates for graduation could ,vrite ,vell enough to make such a test fair." 2 Ne,v England ,vas pretty ,vell supplied ,vith doctors but there ,vcrc fe,v available to \i\'estern settlers. It ,,,.as n111chquicker and easier to reach for a bottle in the family.. n1edicinc-chcst than to saddle a horse and ride a hundred miles for a doctor] : Frank R O\\'so1nc, Th cy Laug !Jed JVb en I Sat Down; a1i ln fannal His-tory of Ad-vertisin g in lfT ords and I'i ctu res (N e,v York! 1 959) p- 48. Harvard University - Houghton Library / Harvard University. Harvard Library bulletin. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Library. Volume XV, Number 3 (July 1967) Harvard Library Bulletin In the South after the CivH 1\'ar the 111anyailing returned soldiers S\Vclle d th c nu 111ber of poten ti al customers. 1.1 h e om 1tlpresent country· stores, solici tc d by sn1artl y dressed m cd icin e-dntnl m ers., ,v ere the big distributors of ren1edies such as the Chattanooga f\1edicine Con1pany's 7 Black-Draugbt1 For All the J/a1uily, and lf7ine of C«rd11ifor TT0111en1 ,vhile Spurlock-Neal Con1pany1s Ricl/s Tasteless Cbill Tonic und l{ ing of /i.1n l erin , vere s,va n1 p-cou n try· fav ori test as ,ve1l as 1-lfl g er"Js Chill nnd Fever Specific. (See P1ate VJ.) Of course they all car- ried Fletchcrts C11stori« CcChildren cry for it, Doctors pronounce it harmlcssn) to be spooned by harassed 111othcrscager to soothe their crying babies (,vithout concern ~bout the drugs it conniined). (Sec Plate XIL) There ,vas such faith in Indian rc1ncdicsthat slick travcHing .salesmen 1 dis-guisedas Indian med ici nc-n1 en~ ,v ere ab]e to n1ake a good profit selling bottles of colored 1vat er~ T ra ,,.el]in g p eddl crs) Iik c the one portrayed in Plate II, carried a line of patent rnedicines to the rural population of Nc,v England~ ,::\7hat eventually· beca1ne an u11\vitting boon to the pntent-1nedicine industry, the Te1npcrance 111oven1ent,,vns first orgnnized in Boston in 1826 to encourage "1noderation" in drinking as The An1crican Society· for the Pron1 o tion of T en1pcrance. lvlalt Iiquo rs and ,-vines,verc con- doned until 1836 ,vhcn the National Convention of the American 1.'cmperance Union p1edged to ,vork for total abstinence or teetotal- ism, but the v{ord ternperance.,no,v a n1isnon1er,stny·ed on ,vith the movement. The famous,. polverful "'\~1on1an,s Christian Temperance. Union ,vas established in 1874. Son1c localiticst and even states, ·voted to go dry. A man ,vho had signed the pledge could not in conscience have a d1}11k of beer but·he cou]d hav·ea dose, a ljttle glass of tonic for his in digestion. Th 1s \vas th c :-1ge of hitters, ~omc fortified ,vj th as n1uch as forty per cent ·alcohol. (Sec Plates I Vi \TIJI~ and IX.) One of the rnanuf acturers ,vho ,v~s 111ost successful in quenching the gre~t A.merica n thirst, Colonel David H ostctt er, ]cf t a f orn,ne of eighteen n1il1ion dollars. The patent-medicine indnsr.ryreached its ienith in the eighties an vision titillates, or even horrifies1 the in1ag]nation. All the out-of-do.ors ,vas the advertiser's n1ilicu. "\i\'hy even put up a billboard jf you c;ould use a tree, a rock, -a fent:e1 a shed.,or a barn? Harvard University - Houghton Library / Harvard University. Harvard Library bulletin. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Library. Volume XV, Number 3 (July 1967) Cou1eAll for tbe C11re-a1J 2 59 Some sign-painters \Vorkcd by stealth, a.t night; others by arrange1nent ,vith a farmer ,vho ,vas glad to get his barn painted for nothing, even though this included CASTOl Nods1 and Bec1:s.,and \Vrc-athcd Sn1iles. They 1vcrc shre\vd ps~rchologists,v-ho convinced the gu11iblc ofsyn1p- ton1s>aches~ or pains, leaving them aU keyed up to buy fro111the ,vell~ supplied sfllcsrnen,vho hurried do,vn the aisles ,vith a line of remedies. Jan1es "\1'hitcomb Rile) 7 , ,vhcn in his t,ventics, ,vorkcd by da}r as n sign painter for t\vo trav·elling 1ncdici11eLidoctors ..J' By night, he took part in the shoYvsJ played a guitar., or .fiddle, gave chalk talks and recitations, and con1p osed verses to sell their products. Another p oct., Eugene Fjeld, ,vho loved dran1atics, \Vas supposedly once a 1nen1bcr of a n1edicine sho,v. Enter tainn1ents by Indian troupes ,vcrc very 7 popular 1 espccialiy the Kickapoo Sho-.vstput on supposcdl) by 111cn1- b crs of a rn inor I\1i d dle ,~, ester n tribe,. but actuall )7 r ecru ite d f ro1n various tribes. They ,vere billed as "the most noted of all Indian 111cdicaln1enr,i Snga·ivn,the Kick~poo 1\1edjcineCon1pany's best sellert· ,vas advertised as "con1pounded fron1 uncient tribal formnlas.H (See Plate\'.) Harvard University - Houghton Library / Harvard University. Harvard Library bulletin. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Library. Volume XV, Number 3 (July 1967) Har·vardLibrar·y Bulletin It ,vas not enough to paint the countryside and put _onsho,vs. Such huge sums ,vere spent on ne,vspapcr advertising that the ne,vspapers and magazines,vere mainly supported by the patcnt-n1cdicinc industry in the decades follo,ving the Civjl \\Tar.. Copy for these advertising can1paigns kne\v no restrictions; o,vners and editors may h2vc hnd their 1nisgivings, but ho,v could they· bite the hand thnt fed them? Dr. James Ayer boasted in 187 r that he ,vas advertising in 1,900 nc,v.s- papcrs and periodicals, and cstin1uted that the almanacs·he gave a\vay· every y·ear ,vould stretch~ end to endt for 1,894 miles. In their strug~ gling eru-Iy--days,,vhcn they ,vcrc so poor that they ,valked miles to save trolley fare, the Pinkha1n sons risked all the funds they could scrape together for advertising.. Later, ,vhcn the Pinkham Company· · \Vasprosperous, it spent $401oootooo to keep Lydia's face before the pub Iic ey·e,and ,vas con v1 need the outla ) 7 , vas , vor th,v h ile. Charles E. · Fletcher, ,vho purchased his prescription fro1n n Nev/ York druggist in 187 2, did not cn1ploy any salesmen,hut relied entirely on ,vidcsprcad advertising to pro1n ote his Cnst ori rr .. Advertisers of todny 111akceffective use of devices -and gimn1icks inherited from their p~tent-mcdicine predecessors.,as sholvn by nvo exam p1esfrom origin als in the l\1anuscript Di vision in Baker Library. From the reverse of a trade card for S,vallo\V~sPbenyo-Caff ein: CONCERNING OUR PUZZLE AND YANKEE HUl\1~1ERS They are intended for bu ycr.s and users of PHENYO-CA FF~:IN, ,v ho are our best nd vertiscrs. In their han els they give opportu niti cs to spca k of the n1erits of the rein cd y. On receipt of FOUR PHENY.Q-(;AFFEIN BOX C0\7ERS, 25 cent size. ,ve W"'illmail nvo of the Hummers to any address in the Unitc PI-IENYO-CAFFEIN BOX C0\ 1ERS 1 or the three puzzles on receipt of SIX of the Covers .... Fron1 the reverse of 2 trade card for Dr. Radcliff e's Great Re111edy: Dear Friend: Your County is no,v open. We ,vant a good Agent. Wi 11you accept? We offer Ra re Ind ucctn en ts. En closed you ,vill pI ease find our Ci rClllars and T cnns to A gen ts. Do 11ot tbrrn.v away or destroy tbc111ibut re~d them carefully. If you cannot t.akc an agency yourself you may kno\v of so1nc one ,vho ,vill1 to ,vho1n you hand these cir cul~rs 1 by so doing you ,vill gre ady oblige us. Sh ou] d you desire to test our ,vondcrful Remedy ,ve ,vill send you sa1nple.sof large and small ~ir.e bottles on receipt of $ 1 .oo,. or ,ve \ViUsend them to you free of chargc 1 ( except express Harvard University - Houghton Library / Harvard University. Harvard Library bulletin. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Library. Volume XV, Number 3 (July 1967) C01ne A ii for tbe Cure-all charges,) and yon can rclnit us the do1lar, should it pro,re aH ,ve re pre.sent it to be. Is not this proposition fair? A lI ,vc ask is a t da l to satisfy the 111ost inc red- u] ous+ Rcmc1nbcr 1 ,ve guarantee every bottle. No cure, no pay. Should you be called on to redeem a bottlei ,ve ,vill n1-aketbe 1oss good on your next order. Our Price is for 50 Cent Bott1cs,,$ 3.50 per dozen, or $ 36.oo per gross~ For $ LOO bottles, $6r50 per rlozen, or 71..oo per gross. Ancl ,vfrh your first order of one gross of 50 cent bott]cs, pric.c 36.ooj ,vc ,vill present you ,vfrh a Handsome Coin Sih'er Hund ng Ca5e Vl a tc h, Beau ti fu1 J y Engra \Tedand Correct Time-keeper. \Vo rth $ 2 Psychology tells advertisers of today ,vhat the old tin1c cop}'",,~ritcrs knc,v by instinct, the po\ver of repetition. For example: Wh c n baby ,vas sick , ·vc gave her Castor hi, vVhen she ,vas a child she e1·1edfor Castoriat When she hcca1ne a miss she clung to Oistori at \V.hen sl1c had cl 1i 1 d ren she ga vc ti \CLn Castoria. JC A pr.olifcration of hand bi 11s1 u}tnana cs, calendars, booklets and tr.ade, or business, cards besieged a not un,villing public. Tr-a.de cards ,vere an especiallypopular advertising n1edium in the heyday of the patcnt- medtctne business. These cards a.re basically a s1n:tll printed notice of goods or services for sale. The car 1y .A.1ncricancards, like tl1eir English counterparts, ,verc practically all engraved. After the introduction of color reproduction in 1856~a nc,v sty-ledeveloped that ,vcll suited the needs _of the paten t-n1 edicine adv ertisers 1 reaching its peak in the seventie~~and eighties. The trade cards from thi~ period are typically small, ranging from caUing card to postal size. The front of the card is illustrated, usual]y in bright col ors and carries the nan1c of the prod- uct, to ,-vhich the name and addres~ of the local distributor had often heen added. A sales '"pitch'i for the product is printed on the hack~ T r3 de~car d pie turcs., of ten detai1 e d t record th c cos tu 111cs., f m·nishings~ 3 nd 111 nn ers Of the p criod r Th cir artistic qu alit}T is 1o, V' but th ere are son1eexceptions, notab 1y th osc d csigned by Kate Grccn~l\vay. ( Sec Plate XIII: Hood's Vegetable Pills.) To modern eyest thC) 7 arc rc- m-a.rlcablyclean; any sex appeal is mild indeed, such as a pretty face or a. couple picnicking. (See Plate IV.) The pnhlic, both young and old,, V{aS intrigued, collecting the cards avidly and preserving thcn1 in a lbnn1s The Trade Card Collection in ti 1c l\1anus cript 1)iv i.c;i.onof Ba kcr Library has t\v en ty or 111ore of th csc .fl Frank P.reshrcy1 T/Je History a11d Dc--ve/op111entof Advertising (Garden City, Nc,v York, 1919), p. 375. Harvard University - Houghton Library / Harvard University. Harvard Library bulletin. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Library. Volume XV, Number 3 (July 1967) Harvard Library ·B11 lleti11 alhumsJ ,vhich include a good representation of those that·advertised patent n1cdicinc..~. A f e\V of these trade cards are rep1·oduced in tltis article. Thc3r have been arranged in arbitrary categories: co1nic., sex ~ppeal~Indian~ beforc-and-::1ftcrdcn1onstrations, famous faces, u·icks and cu tou ts1 verses-1 n1iscc]la neou s. A f.e,v-notes f ollo,v on the individual cards. PLATES III AND XII J1.e-rcbtlut'sGargling Oil. It is remarkable that any.one had the cour- age to try this rcme dy· for '"burns.,r h eu1natis1n., sprains., too tl 1ach c a.nd sore throat" that ca.111e in a. ".=yello, v ,vra p per for a n..imaland , v hitc for hu111anflcshH! Even if not rcpe1led by its ugly nan1et he n1ight ,veil havc been afraid of accidcntall y treating his sore throat \Vi th the po"rcrful concoction in the yellu\v ,vrapper! PLATE ,r1 · ''Before and aftee>trade cards ,vere inunenscly popular. The ~risk, folksy· sales (t:pitch"''on this card Vlas too good to have been hidden in fine print: "'i\1ISERi.\BLE! i\1:ISERABLE! ·Ycsl11c Jooks '}}1isenrble! · llc is BILIOUS; and bj liou snes) ,vith its ki 11in g comp 1ain ts - bad un natural taste, ln ss of app cti tci- in1pcr f cc t s]ccp, headache, chi11si fcv·cr, etc. - do not tend to n1ake anyone feel happy or cheerful. But he ,-vouldn1t take HAGER'S CHILL AND AGUE SPECIFICr 0, no! he:docsn"'t bclic\,.c in it. Perhaps you}dear rcadcri "•jll never be]ie,;-ein it eithert unless you try it. If the above geotleman could see the happy nu.n ,vho.sc portrait appca.rs on the other side of this sheet, he 111ight chm1ge his mind: iLET US Si\1ILE! ,,,ouLDYOU BELTE\7E IT! I've been there tool Felt badly- noth1ng ~stcd rigl~t-appcdtc poor~ -didni-tfeel sick enough to go to bed~ but everything ,,·as ,vr?ng son1eho,v~ Then I had Chills and F ever.1 and I felt- ,veil, j f yon ,viH j nst }oo k :1g:1i n at the portrait on the olher side of diis sheet, you can better imagine ho,v I fe]t. But I invested 50 cents in a bott1e of HA GER is C H"JL-LANJ.) F EV.ER SPECIFIC! took it ac- cording to dj rcctions, and 1oo k at m c no,v ! I don't Ioo k very n1isernble, do I?- Tf yon feel badlyJ try :i l)ottle of HAGER'S CHILT"'AND FEVER SPEClFIC: a reliable rcn1edy for all n1alarial troubles) such as biJiousne.sstFever and Ague~ Dumb Chill~")&c.'" The cards for Dr. Halts Balsa1uund Tar-rant''lsSeltzer Aperient unfold to change the picrure f r~m 11:before', to "af tcr.n (Plates ,r11 and XII.) Harvard University - Houghton Library / Harvard University. Harvard Library bulletin. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Library. Volume XV, Number 3 (July 1967) Con1e All for ibe Cure;...all PLATE \TIII '''henQueen ''ictorja died.,small-to,vn 11e,vspaper editors, lacking her portrait., substituted one they all had at hand, J... y~ia Pjnkham'sl PLATE XI Trade cards in .odd shapes and in cutout forn1,vere -apop1.1Jar novel- ty·.. The children studying their ABC,s ,vcre advertising Hood's Sar~ saparillar Pl.ATE XII The Tar-rant'sSeltzer Apcrient card unfolds to effect the trans- formation of the \Voe-begone lady. PLATE XIII The bouquet of fl.o,vcr.sis an cxa1nple of a type of card that \Vas prized b}T collectors: g~yly costumed children, colored flo,vers, land- seap es.,ani tn als, ,·vith the legend on the r~vcrse only. The deacon and his ,vifc 1 poised in praise of Ayert~~-Sarsaparilla,(il vcr}7 colorful card in the original) look ns if they had been taken fro111 one of the popular ,:(groups" that John llogcrst the sculptor ( 1829- 1904) J 111odcllcdin clay from everyday life. · Unha1npcrcd~a.sit ,vas.,by legal restrictions, patcnt-111edicineadver~ tjsing ,vas bold and vigorous. S01nc Tn1th there ,vas, but dashed and bre,v'd ,vith Lies; To please the Foo 1s, and puzzle a11 the \\ 7ise.. L)rdia Pinkham t~mcd her Cou1po1n1d ~'The G·rcatcst !v1cdicalDis- covery Since _theDa\vn of Dr. Cl-arkJohnson's Indian Blood Syrup \Vas called i,The Best Rcmcd) 7 Kuo,vn to l\1an~'' There ,vas no 1in1itto the curntivc po,vcr.sclain1ed by the manufacturers for their rcn1edics. IN\ 7ALID LADIES THlS 1S FOR YOU. Th ere are thousands of f cmalcs in A n1crica ,v ho s.uff er untold 1niser jes f ro1n chronic d iscasc.s common to th cir sex. This .is due ·largely to the peculiar hnbi ts of life and fashion, nnd the improper training of girlhood. Then, too, the physical changes tha.t mark the three eras of ,vo1nanhood (the maiden, the ,vife and the n1other) have mul:h to do ,vith their suITcrings! n1os.t of ,vhich js en- dured in siicncc 1 unkno,vn by even the family pliy.sicfonand most intimate friends. To all such ,vhose hollo,v checks, pa1e faces, sunken eyes and feeble Harvard University - Houghton Library / Harvard University. Harvard Library bulletin. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Library. Volume XV, Number 3 (July 1967) .... HarvardJ_,ibrary Bulletin footsteps indicate, nervous and general debiUty bordering on consumption, ,ve ,vould earnestly recon1mencl that gmnJ syste1u renovating tonict B URDOCI( BLOOD BITTERS. ''Apt aHitcration,s ru-tful aid" ,vas a popular name device. It ,vas used n1ost effectivelyin Dr. \Villian1s'I 1ink Pillsfor PalePeople .. J\·fALT BITTERS ••• l t '\riJl1 single-handed, su~tain ]ife. It stimufo.tcs,vithout rcaction 1 reJnov- jng th c tired, 1an gl1id, cxha usted f ccH ng of delicate ,vom en, clergymen and bra in \voe kers, PQND'S EXTRACT, The Wonder of Healing. IT STOPS ALL EIEMOR- RHAGES. IT CURES Al ..L INFLAi\1A1ATORY DISEASES .. For nurns, Sc aldst \Vo u n ds, Druises :::rn d Sprain.~} it le; uncq lHL11 c d - stopping pa.in,:l:l nd }lC:l ling in ==1. lll:.l rvc1iou S 1nanncr r For In fian1ed nnd Sore Eyes. - I ts effect up on these d e1icatc organs is 5 imply :rnarveUous. It can be used ,vi thou t the s}jgh test f car of l1anu. For Catarrh, -It cures the most obstirmte cases in an in~redibly brief thnc. It is the L-adf es' Fri end. - A II f e1nale co mpfain ts yic Id to ics \VOn drou s p o,ver. For U] ccrst O Id S orcs 1 or Open \V ou n ds. -1 ts action 11pon th c:;c is n1ost rcrnar J:a b le. Tnc mo.st ob.stin:atc cases a re cu red. For R heu 111atfan1. ~There are in our possession rem arka h le testin1onia] s of cures of rheumatis1n in its various stages. ,, crso of trade card in Piate X\T: IiAJ\1'S uon of Gladnesst~ is a NICE CLEAN and PLEASAN'f rcn1cdy for the n1any aches and pains that arc constantly occuring in every household. rt is pl earant to the sens~s being aromatic, ao d limpid as pure ,vn tcr. It is 1nore effi enci ou s than the n l any n a~ty sticky preparations \vith ,v hich people tor n1 en t thcn1sclvcs and childrcn 1 in the foolish idea that the "rorse n dose tastes the rnore good it ,v1l1 do .. Dhea.se.s of Children yield to ~'HAl\l'S OIL OF GLADNESS" at once, ,vhilc disorders of n1arure years are easi1v dissipated under its benign influence~ It is u~ed lNTERNA-LLY and EXTERNAl ..LY ..... DR. "BUCKLANDtS SCOTCH OATS E.';SENCE \Vil J J POSI1 ..IVF.J.,"\: CURE SLEEPLESSNESS. NER"\100S DYSPEPSTA.. PARALYSIS. LOCOJ\10TOR AT.AXIA. OPI U A1 I-'lABIT. I-IEADl\. CHE. DR UNKENNESSr o,rARIAN NEURALGIA. HYSTERIA+ N~'.R\TQUS EXHAUST'ION. NEURALGIA+ EPILEPSY. SICK HEADACHE. ST. \TITUS' DANCE. SCIATICA~ NEURASTHENIA &c. Harvard University - Houghton Library / Harvard University. Harvard Library bulletin. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Library. Volume XV, Number 3 (July 1967) Co~11eAll for tbe Cure-id! Campaign Excitement, Combined ,vith hot "vcnthc:rt has a very ,-...,cakcningan Sanford's Ginger. 1"he delicious summer medicine. Prepared ,vith the utmost skill frrnn Ii\-lPORTED GINGER~ CHOICE AROj\-1ATICS and the purest and best of 1\1EDICINAL FRENCH BR.ANDY . As a PURE FllUI1"\ ST1J\1ULANT, for the ~ged, n1enta1ly -and physically exhausted, carc,von1 or ovenvorkedt for delicnte females, especially mothers 1 for those recoverjng from dcbili ta ting diseases . . • Dr. Thon1as' Electric Oi1. ,vrrIA T IT I -fAS DONE. \VI1A T IT vVILL DO. IT '\VILL POSITI,TEL Y CURE Toothache 4 • • I • I • • • in 5 !vlinutcs ~l ;2: Earache . -1 P I -1 I .. • .. • • • Iiackache t, 2 I-lours 1 Lam cncss • . . . • • • • • • • ' :z Days Coughs 4 4 • • 4 • • • • • • • "20 1\1inutcs H oarsc ncss . . • 4 • • • • • • n I Hour Co ids 4 • • 4 • 4 4 4 • • '' 2.4 I1ours ,i )'ll Sore Throat • .P • • .. 41 I • I J:l Deafness. 4 • I • '' 2 Days Pain of Burn .. .. 4 .. • I I • • ~r 5 l\1inutes n ,, Scald .. I 4 I ,1 5 " • .. I ! • PARIIBR"'S GINGER TONIC. 1:·hi~ Delicious Remed y1 combining the most valaa b le 1ncdicincs .. it h Ja.ma i ca Ginger) exerts a curative po,vcr over disease unkno\vn to any other medicine+ It is high] y recommended by many ph y.sicians and by thousands it has cured all over the hlnd, and js the best health restorer ever used. (Verso of trad c ca rd in Plate IV.) Often the patent-med icinc pcoplc i ncorporatcd glorious promises in naming their products. Sonic of the striking names of pills and other cures., se{ccted frotn George C. Good7.vinand Contpany"sCatalogue of Patent .A1c:dicines,published in Boston in 1885 t are given in Plate I. C1aims , vere rcinforced ,vith tcsti1nonials, botl 1 genuine and faked. The Pinkham Con1pany.,,vhich received an average of 100.,000 tes- tin1onials a year1 offered $5,000 to anyone '\vho could prove that their testimonials ,vere not genuine. Horace Greeley ,vrotc a testitnonial for Bristol's Sarsnparilla'tI-lenry ,vard Beecher for BrO'Wn'sTroe/Jes Harvard University - Houghton Library / Harvard University. Harvard Library bulletin. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Library. Volume XV, Number 3 (July 1967) 2 66 Harv([rd Lihrnry Bulle.tin and for Dr .. To·wusend's l{e111ed:yfor Catarrh, 2nd Sarah Bernhardt h1dorsedPaine's Celery Co111pound+ Here js a san1p1ingof testin1oniills fron1 the backs of trade cards ju Baker Library: . \;V.. A. TERLOO., IOWA, Oct. 9thi 1878. H. lC STE\ 1ENSt BOSTON: . I 1rn. v e: been trou 1l] ed "\Yj th Li·ver C01n pl rJint and diso rdcrs of the ston1ach, :1n d ha vc taken nrn.ny pre pan1tion s 1 vithou t effect~ bl l t after taking nvo b otdes of "'V cgeti n e,, l a n1 as 1vell as ever I ,i~as. Respectfully, s.·A. LlNCOJ-'N W c are pcrsonn Uy acq u:1j ted ,vit h i'\1 r. Lincoln, and k no\v (the a boivc) his st:::tte ment to be true, YVe 11avc sold 1a rgc qua n ti ti cs of ''\i cgcti nei., i and our cus- to n lers spe c1k ,velJ of it for the comp] ain ts for , v hj ch it is rcconJ 111end cd. _,, 7ANGLER_BROS.,. . Druggists: and RookseUers~ "\1/ater1ooi Io,va What The People Say! . , . DR. ~fILTON l\1~TA \1...0R: -It is the fir.sttin1c . Dys p cpsia case of 11. yea rs st:1nc.HngCured. I feel I o,ve so 1nuch to Quaker Bitters, that I 1nost gladly add n1y testin1ony to their great ,vorth. I have been a sufferer from clyspcpsia and its accompany- ing eyj]s for a long tin1e. 1\1y sufferings both 111entaland physical cannot be descdhe Harvard University - Houghton Library / Harvard University. Harvard Library bulletin. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Library. Volume XV, Number 3 (July 1967) Conze·All for tbe Cure-all ,vere advertised·in verse as ,, ..elt as prose. For one of his 1ncdicine- doctor employcrst young Jan1cs '''hiccomb lliley composed this coup~ let, ,vhich he described as ua rebus of the 1vell-k110\YI1 lines fron1 Shakespcare.l~ 1 \ :vhy Iet pain your pleasures spoilj For \Vant of To,vnscnd's l\1agicOil? 1-.his rhyme ,vas ,vritten by llile)T·,vhen he \vas ,vorking for Dr. !\1cCrill us in 1ndiana: v\lherever blooms of health ~re blo\Yni l\1.cCr iUu s R cm cdi cs arc kn o, 1..1n; Wherever happy lives are found You)H find his mcdiciaes around; . F ron1 con ghs a.n d colds a.nd 1ung d iscasc, His patients find a s,vee t rele~ se. His Oriental J.. iniment Is kno,vn to f:une to such extent That orders for it emanate From every portion of the State; His Enrope~n Bals~m1 too~ Sends blessings dov.-'n to inc and you; And holds its throne from year to year In every househo 1d far and near. His Purifier for the Blood I·Ias earned a n-:nnc as fair and good AB ever glistened on the page 0 f any annals of the a gc, And he ,vho pan ts: for health and case Shou] d try these Standard Remedies,t. A rhy1nestcr \Yorki11gfor the \Tcrmont firn1 of Henry nnd Johnso11 had Hi~nvathasay for their cure-all: i\1-a.deof jll n1ost healing Ilalsams Found in all the Northern forests~ 13a lsmns of the Pine and Fir tree, iVIadejn Burlington - a city Swn ding near the Cha1npb.i o e \1/ aters . . .8 •J r1mes Harvey Young, T be Toad stool A-fil lionai re .r, a Social His l ory of P.(I tent Af ed ici 11es in A 1ucr it a b cf ore Fed eral Regul at io'Jl (P rj ncetont N e,v Jersey) 196 J ) t P· 195- c; i\1arcus Dk~kcy1 The r outlJ of Jmues JVbitcontb Riley (Indi~napolisi 1919) i PP· 130-13 I I e.Rella. C+ Landauer, {~Literary Allusions jn An1erica.n Advertising1)' Tbe "fi..Te-w- York Historical Society Qunrtctl}'i XXXI (July 1947), 14-S-159. · · Harvard University - Houghton Library / Harvard University. Harvard Library bulletin. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Library. Volume XV, Number 3 (July 1967) HarvardLibrary Bulletin The horrjfy·ing ailments to be routed by Hostctter~s Bitters ,vere versifiedin his United States A l111mu1c of 186 7: Dyspepsia's pangs, that rack and grind The body 1 and depress the n1ind; Agues, th:i t as they go and come~ ~1 ake life a curn;tant n1artyrdorn; CoEcs and dyscntcrjc pains, )Neath ,vhjch the strong man's vigor ,vanes; Bi1ious co1nplain ts~ th osc ted inus i IIs :i Ne' er conquered yet 1lY drastic pi11s; D rc:1:d D far r hc:1, that cannot be Cu red by d estru cd vc l\.'1ercu ry j SJo,v constitutional decay) That brings death nearer., day by day; N er\Tous prostra ti on 1 men t~ J gloom~ Hera] d s of n1adness or th c ton1 b; }... or these! th oo gh A1inera1 n ostrutns f ai I, 1\1.cans of relief at last ,ve ha i11 HOSTETfER~S BITTERS~ medicine sure! Not to prcveut, a lone., but t1tfe. 7 (A1orethan 930,000 bottles ,vcrc sold in 18884) This gem is f ron1 an undated nineteenth centur)T h andbjll in the 1\1anuscript Division of Eaker Library that ,vas printed in Philadelphia by the firn1of Allncr & Johnson~ The Rheumatic Bathing Fluid Air: ' 1The Cove What Spouts.t' Come hither a1l n1y friends, and listen to n1jr voi ce1 For rvc something here to say1 ,vill nm.kc the sad rejoice; Jf any such dc:;irc, Rheumatic pains to shun, lVhy, here ..s the ,vond 1rous cure of Dr. Albert.son. Ri tol de ro1, &c. This Bathing Fluid cures aln1ost aU earthly ills, And easier far to takc 1 than lots of nauseous piH~; The headache it relieves, as if by 1nagjc, too, And hun One application 111adc 1 your pains are quickly done~ And you \Vi11b]c~s the day you heard of Albcrt5on, Ri tol de rot &c. Harvard University - Houghton Library / Harvard University. Harvard Library bulletin. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Library. Volume XV, Number 3 (July 1967) Conte All for tbe C11re-all And if you h~ve a tooth that ju 111ps out of your hca d l i\·1akin g yon clance aroundt and ;,yfa h that you ,vere Just try th is Fl uj dl sirs 1 the lin1b ,viU so on be sound; 1 Insteftd of limp1ngthen, so lithe and brisk yo111l feel 1 That you ,1,ill polka straJght, or else perform a reel. Ri tol de roll &c. All s,vc1ling it rcn1ovcs1 save oncl and here it droops 1 That S"\vellingis the one cnused by the ladies• hoops; But aH bes.idcs it curcs 1 in the t,v inkling of an eyet And if you have a doubt, ,vhy just step up and try. Ri tol de rol, &c~ 1 The follo\ving ,vas reprinted in the ,cRoving Eyc "' column of the Borton Herald for Ju1)7 2 7, 1960 under the caption: '~Commercial Verse Not Ne\v.'' Could CHA TH Arvt burst the ceren1 ents of the d cadt And mid the living rear his la urclk d he ad, Co111d f aUen PHILLIPS cross the ,va ter ,vi d cl \Vhose bo on1ing ,v~vcs nvo 1nig hty \vo rld s divi de~ IIo,v could his eye dilate! his soul expand, To gaze jn ,vondering r~pture o.,,erthe land! And ,.,ic\\r th c tr iu n1ph that h c once foretold, ,vhen fired as \vith the spirit of a seer, He cried alondl uThe Russia Sal\'C is. hcre!'"J Lyman Bro,vn, of Nev{ York, published these verses in 1892 in his A l1J1tlnnc, i dentificd by n cover picture of seven br ceds of do gs~ (From the copy in the !\1anuscript ])ivision, Bnkcr Librnr)r): A Song of Seven Barks Seven Bar ks upon the sea, Sail they to you? or yet to rn c? Through roar jn g -w·in ds and toss:ing ,va ves, Bear they aught tl1at cheers or saves? • Seven Bar ks upon a. p1 ntl lvl.other Na turcJ s m y.srjc grant, Frnm ,vhich n "~i~e o1d man distills A remedy for lnunan ills. Harvard University - Houghton Library / Harvard University. Harvard Library bulletin. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Library. Volume XV, Number 3 (July 1967) 270 Har•vardLibrary Bulletin Se vc n Bar ks: for the little c hj Id, A medjcine ho th safc a:nd mil J; And for al] its ~ged grandn1a\; ails, \Vhen ] if e c]cc] inCti an ti vigor fa iJs. Seven Barks, ,vhen ,venriog pain Fa11shcavlly Jikc Aurun1n rain, Exp els the p ofoon of d isense And gi\'"CS us hack our strength and ea~c. N o,v here "·"'e end our sin1ple r h yn10; And hope that ,vitbout loss of tin1e., You'll\\rrlte to Ne\V 17 ork,s n1ighty to,vn And ask details of Lyman Bro-,vn. Rhymesters not in the pay of the patcnt-n1edicincpeople poked fun ut th c cu rr ent era~c, knovting that Ha Httl c nonsense n O-\v and th en, .isrelished by the best of men~tl Fla r k ! the hcra] d angels sing KiHam's pil1sare just the thing; Peace on earth and nl crcy mj l d, T,vo for n1an and one for child. 8 I-Jere lies the body of l\1ary Anne Lo-\vder, She burst ,vhile drinldng n Seid]itz po,vder. Called f ro1n thjs ,vorld to her heavenly rest, She shou Id have ,,.7aitedtill j t e.tfervesced. 9 It ,vas not surprising that college students reacted to the frequently reproduced likeness of L)rdia Pinkhan1 ,vith a ditty· of "~hich this is the chorus! OH-H-H ,ve 1iJ sing of J.. ydia PioTdrnnl And her lo\rc for the H un1an R acct Ho,v she sells her \Tegetablc Compoundt And the papers, the papers, thc>7pub]jsh, they pubHsh her FACE. 10 The Dart1nouth students had their O"\Yn Pinkha1nsong: A Picture There's ::1.face that haunts inc ever., There are eyes mine al \Va ys meet; As I read the 1norning paper, As I ·w·nlk the. cro,vde d street s St~nton ,r aughn, 700 Linter/ck Lyrics- (Ne,v York, Ne,Y Orleanst 1906), p. 148~ Anon y-mous. Quoted in David 1\1cCord 1 TF hat Cb eer I An A~ t bolog }' ( N e,Y York, r945"), 343. 11 Jean Ilurton, Lydia Pinkb.rr;nls Her Nrnne (Nc, 1r Yorki i949), p. :01, Harvard University - Houghton Library / Harvard University. Harvard Library bulletin. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Library. Volume XV, Number 3 (July 1967) Co111eAll for tbe C11re-all 271 Aht she kno'\'~-~snot" ho,v I suffer~ Hers is no,\"' a ,vorld-,vide fan1e, But "'ti1 de a th tb at f ac c shall greet n1c; Lydia Pinl(ham is her name. 11 Lc,v j s Carroll had his fll n in F atber T-f7 i JIi an1: c.Inmy youth~' said the sage., as lie sl1ook his gray lock~,, ~rkept all my limbs very supple By the use of this ointn1cnt- one shilling the box- Allo,v me to sel1 you a couple.' \~ 711ile the rhymesters had their fun, various organizations and 5erious-n1indcd citizens like Ed,vard Bok, the editor of the Ladies' H ou1eJour1u1J 1 had been ta.king a different vie\v. Trouble ,vas bre,ving in the patent-n1cdicinc paradise. Those cone crned had been j nvcs- tigating the ingredients of these nostru1ns ,vi th ,vhich so many people ,v ere dosing th c111sc I vcs. It ,vas found thn t ~~diseasesd cspern te g ro, vn / By desperate appliance are relieved. J, Although sonic re1ncdies1 like 11Junyou~sBlood Cure turned out to be mere sugar and ,vatcr placebos, Cra111'sFl,1id Ligbtui-ng ,vas found by,.analysis to be striking ,vith the three-pronged force of a]cohol,,ether, and opium. In 19041 the Ladies' 1--Iou1e Journal., ,vhich had ceased to accept medical advertis1ngin r 892., printed chemical analyses of patent medicines sho,ving such ingredients as forty per cent alco ho], cocaine, morphine, strychnine, and arsenic. San1uelHopkins Adan1s,in ten articles puhJishedin Collier'sAf agtrziue, attacked 264 companies and individuals by nan1e, calling son1cmur- derexs and others thieves. T,vo libel suits ,verc brought -asa result of Adarns" nrticlcs, but only· the one instigated b)T the 1nakcrs of Dr" ,:~/ilJiams' Pink Pills for I'alc People even got into the courts. These can1paigns, co1nbincd ,vith the American l\1edic0lAssociation~s efforts and those of Dr. 11.arvey\\T" \\-'j!cy, culminated in the 1:cderal Pure Food -and Diug Act of 1906, prohibiting the transportation of adul- terated and tnisbranded food and drugs in interstate commerce. Before this, onl}T th c sta tc and 1o cal auth or itics had the po, v-crto saf cguard the public health against adulterated food and drugs and to protect the consu1ncr fron1 deception. A 1912 an1end1nent to the Act of 1906 prohibited false staten1ents on labels about the curative value of drugs'" but did not apply to f a]sc advcrlising. The Act \Vas revised and strengthened h)r the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act of 193 8; false a.d- u Q LlOtcd from ''The Da.rtmou th t, in Bunon~ op~ cit.,,p. 2 o 1 • Harvard University - Houghton Library / Harvard University. Harvard Library bulletin. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Library. Volume XV, Number 3 (July 1967) Harvard Library Bulletin v erti sing of dru g.s \Vas pro hibi tcd h y the \~\lhce l er~Lea an1en dn1Ent to the Federal Trade Commission Act of 193 8 .. Not only did these la,vs change the picture for the patcnt-n1edicine n1anufacn1rers, but also great ad,,.anccs had been made in medical science; doctors ,vcre 1nuch better trained ~nd there ,verc more of thcn1; the good old days of the patent-1nedicinebonanza ,v-crc over. Il ibliography Burton, Jean. Lydia Pinkhmn Is Her Nmne (Ne,v York~ 1949) .. Holbrook, Stc·wart H. The Golden Age of Quackery (Nc,v York, l959). Presbrey, Frank. The History aud Developv1ent of Adl'Jertising (Garden City, Ne\V York, J919)~ Ro,vsome,Frank. They Laugbed H7 ben I Sat Down,· an Infornml History of Advertising in lVords and Ptctures (N cv..;York1 1959). Turn er, Ernest Sackv.il1e. The Shocking History of A di.lerti.sing ! ( N e,v York, 1953). '\i\rashburnt Robert Collyerr The Life nnd Ti111esof l.. ydin li, Pinkhmn (Ne,v York and London, 193r) Young, Jan1es Harrey .. The Toadstool Aii!Jionaires,a Social History of Pateut A1edici11esin A,nerica before Federal Regulation (Princeton!-Ne\1/ Jcrsey1 r96 I) - Harvard University - Houghton Library / Harvard University. Harvard Library bulletin. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Library. Volume XV, Number 3 (July 1967)